The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

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The Hebrew Scriptures AKA the Old Testament - Should You Study it?

Yes - It is part of the Word of God and therefore important to know God.
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100%
No - All that is needed are the Greek Scriptures AKA New Testament and/or what Jesus said.
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Total votes: 4

2timothy316
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The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #1

Post by 2timothy316 »

We as Jehovah's Witnesses are currently reading the book of Leviticus worldwide. Which contains much of the Mosaic Law and its importance to our understanding of God's will. My wife the other day, who was raised baptist, made a comment to me how upset she was that she was never taught anything from or about the Hebrew Scriptures growing up. She is amazed at the world's lack of knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Are the Hebrew Scriptures important?

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Difflugia
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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #11

Post by Difflugia »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:11 pm
Miles wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:43 pm1) The Bible condones slavery
No it does not.
TO CONDONE
transitive verb

: to regard or treat (something bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless
One can only condone something if it is "something bad or blameworthy", since slavery of itself is neither, the bible cannot accurately be said to "condone" it. For example, if someone were to ask "Do you condone mothers loving their babies?" this could be considered a loaded question as it implies there is something wrong with mothers loving tbeir babies.

Abusive, oppressive slavery is bad. Slavery is not.
That's your argument? Really? That "the Bible condones slavery" is technically inaccurate because slavery isn't bad or blameworthy and your analogy is to mothers loving babies?

I mean absolutely no hyperbole when I tell you that that's an utterly horrific statement to make in any context.

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #12

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Difflugia wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:31 pm I mean absolutely no hyperbole when I tell you that that's an utterly horrific statement to make in any context.

I disagree. Truth doesn't care about feelings of horror, it is what it is. If I have said something you feel you can prove inaccurate, I invite you to do so. If not try and have an excellent weekend.


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Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #13

Post by Miles »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:11 pm
Miles wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:43 pm
1) The Bible condones slavery
No it does not.
Really!

Leviticus 25:44

As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property.
TO CONDONE
transitive verb

: to regard or treat (something bad or blameworthy) as acceptable, forgivable, or harmless

One can only condone something if it is "something bad or blameworthy", since slavery of itself is neither, the bible cannot accurately be said to "condone" it.
I'm sorry that you, and I presume all other JWs, don't think slavery is bad. Most people do, which is one of the reasons it was outlawed in the USA. You do know that in the USA it's against the law to own slaves don't you?

"Abolitionism [The abolitionist movement was an organized effort to end the practice of slavery in the United States.] in the United States was an expression of moralism and usually had a religious component to it: slavery was incompatible with Christianity, according to the many religious abolitionists."
Source: Wikipedia.

And if you don't consider it bad, I assume you believe owning people against their will is quite acceptable, in fact, "good."


Glad we've cleared that up.



.
Last edited by Miles on Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #14

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Miles wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:14 pm ... I assume you believe owning people against their will is quite acceptable, in fact, "good."
I can have no power over your assumptions, they are your own and I claim no ownership of them. Should you want to know if they are accurate feel free to ask.


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To learn more please go to other posts related to...

SLAVERY, CHILD ABUSE and ...THE MOSAIC LAW
Last edited by JehovahsWitness on Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Romans 14:8

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #15

Post by Miles »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:18 pm
Miles wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:14 pm ... I assume you believe owning people against their will is quite acceptable, in fact, "good."
I can have no power over your assumptions, they are your own and I claim no ownership of them. Should you want to know if they are accurate feel free to ask.
No need to bother. From your lack of a more comprehensive reply I'm well convinced they are. :mrgreen:


.

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #16

Post by Difflugia »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:41 pm
Difflugia wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:31 pm I mean absolutely no hyperbole when I tell you that that's an utterly horrific statement to make in any context.
I disagree. Truth doesn't care about feelings of horror, it is what it is. If I have said something you feel you can prove inaccurate, I invite you to do so. If not try and have an excellent weekend.
That's an odd (though not unexpected) way to defend of your statement, considering that "bad" and "blameworthy" are as subjective as feelings of horror. I am personally horrified that you would claim chattel ownership of human beings to be neither.

In the same way that I can't prove that slavery is blameworthy, neither can I prove that kindness, respect, and human dignity are praiseworthy. I do, however, consider each to be axiomatic in a way that no statement that denies either can be true. If you aren't exaggerating and you genuinely believe that the trafficking in human beings is anything other than repugnant, then you're welcome to keep that particular Christianity for yourself and may Jehovah help the rest of us by confining it to you alone.

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #17

Post by 2timothy316 »

I guess there is no way to return to the OP is there...don't we have a million threads on slavery and the Bible? I didn't start this thread to talk about slavery. But it appears it has been hijacked and no one cares about the OP, including the moderators, so proceed however you wish i guess. If anyone wants to comment on how THEY feel about the OP I will respond.

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #18

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Difflugia wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:43 pm ...I can't prove that slavery is blameworthy..
Good. Well in the absence if your feelings there is nothing here to debate. If you believe there is something factually inaccurate in my post feel free to point that out, otherwise thanks for sharing.



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Romans 14:8

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #19

Post by JehovahsWitness »

2timothy316 wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:25 pm I guess there is no way to return to the OP is there...don't we have a million threads on slavery and the Bible? I didn't start this thread to talk about slavery. But it appears it has been hijacked and no one cares about the OP, including the moderators, so proceed however you wish i guess. If anyone wants to comment on how THEY feel about the OP I will respond.
Sorry Tim, you are right. I did address the point because it is mentioned in Leviticus but you are right, the question is about the Hebrew scriptures as a whole.

As I said the Hebrew scriptures make understanding the Christian Greek scriptures possible. ALL scripture is necessary to be fully equipped as a man or woman of God . If people took this into account they would better understand for example the importance of the Divine name (YHWH/ Jehovah), the condition of the dead, the role of the Messiah and much more ....
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Re: The Hebrew Scriptures (AKA the Old Testament) - How Important Is It?

Post #20

Post by Difflugia »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:21 am
Difflugia wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:43 pm...I can't prove that slavery is blameworthy..
Good. Well in the absence if your feelings there is nothing here to debate. If you believe there is something factually inaccurate in my post feel free to point that out, otherwise thanks for sharing.
In the absense of my entire argument, there's nothing to debate, eh?

See, I can do that, too:
JehovahsWitness wrote: Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:21 am...there is something factually inaccurate in my post...
Exactly.

I hope that the part that is factually inaccurate is that you genuinely believe that slavery isn't blameworthy. If your position has backed you into claiming (disingenuously, I sincerely hope) that slavery is good in order to even win an argument about wording ("the Bible condones slavery"), then it might be time to rethink your position.

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